We believe that we live in a world where people will gather together to put an end to any atrocity being committed. We feel that the world is now evolving out of conventions and sexism is depreciating day by day, that women are given the recognition that they deserve for their talents and endeavors. Whereas the fact remains that even today, even the most liberal of countries are still poisoned with the structural and cultural roots of patriarchy, which continue to shape the women inside each one of us. Therefore it is imperative to discuss issue of feminism in literary texts as it not only critiques a society, but also aid in its gradual reform. For this reason, this essay will entail the issue of feminism in Elif Shafak’s “The Bastard of Istanbul.”
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The mystery of Asya’s father and the guy Zeliha had sexual relationship with, is what had an effect on the psychological state of these two women. The identity of that male is revealed in the last section of the book to be Mustafa, the son of the Kazanci family, brother to Zeliha and uncle to Asya. This revelation of incestuous relationship between Zeliha and Mustafa comes out as a consequence of Banu confronting Mustafa, convincing him to accept the truth which subsequently allows Mustafa to finally meet his inner peace. Nonetheless, it leaves everyone in utter shock but also shows the confronting yet comforting side to a woman. A woman, who unlike man will not reject your identity but will help you overcome your fears, and at the same time allow you to be yourself while hiding your flaws. As Rose from Titanic would have you believe that, “a woman’s heart is an ocean of deep secrets”, Zeliha becomes a personification of it. Where on one hand, Mustafa lived in utter denial and shed off his responsibility, Zeliha openly embraced her daughter and lived to her fullest. But what’s strikingly noteworthy is that even the male characters are liberated at the end from their own sins with the help of a female, establishing the power of a woman. Lastly,
“…if you have no reason or ability to accomplish anything, then just practice the art of becoming” (Shafak
The mystery of Asya’s father and the guy Zeliha had sexual relationship with, is what had an effect on the psychological state of these two women. The identity of that male is revealed in the last section of the book to be Mustafa, the son of the Kazanci family, brother to Zeliha and uncle to Asya. This revelation of incestuous relationship between Zeliha and Mustafa comes out as a consequence of Banu confronting Mustafa, convincing him to accept the truth which subsequently allows Mustafa to finally meet his inner peace. Nonetheless, it leaves everyone in utter shock but also shows the confronting yet comforting side to a woman. A woman, who unlike man will not reject your identity but will help you overcome your fears, and at the same time allow you to be yourself while hiding your flaws. As Rose from Titanic would have you believe that, “a woman’s heart is an ocean of deep secrets”, Zeliha becomes a personification of it. Where on one hand, Mustafa lived in utter denial and shed off his responsibility, Zeliha openly embraced her daughter and lived to her fullest. But what’s strikingly noteworthy is that even the male characters are liberated at the end from their own sins with the help of a female, establishing the power of a woman. Lastly,
“…if you have no reason or ability to accomplish anything, then just practice the art of becoming” (Shafak